Lady Alicia
by Shebbzy
Summary: A steady flowing waterfall pours into a beautiful lake, closed off to the modern world in a secluded forest. When Alicia stumbles into the amazing alcove, she doesn't expect anything. She goes behind the waterfall into a half-submerged cave alight with colors. When she comes back into the open forest, she doesn't notice anything amiss. Until James finds her...
1. Place in Time

In moments he'd be upon the woman with the beautiful voice. James, at long last, caught sight of the body attached to those unwavering

tones that had awoken him. He secreted behind a wide oak, his eyes narrowed to points to watch through the foliage.

At first glance he thought the woman naked. As she moved about, water spraying from her loosed hair, the brightly hued fabric caught James's

eye. Surely that was not a proper way for any woman to dress. Not even the nomad men let their womenfolk about in such scant clothing. The

woman looked like a wild thing, swinging her arms around and whooping.

James kept his place, surprising himself at his control, when the woman turned in his direction. _A girl,_ he corrected himself as he noted her

height. _Nay, a woman,_ argued his eyes, clinging to the soaked fabric that barely covered her swelling chest.

"Your hand fits in mine, like it was made just for me…" The breathtaking girl sang in lower tones, smiling sweetly. James caught his breath as

the small smile widened. Her whole face transformed into that of an angel. He was in danger of moving out of his hiding place as she

unknowingly lured him forward.

James took a small step, freezing when she paused.

"I know you've never loved the crinkles by your eyes when you smile," The girl turned in a slow circle, raising her arms. "You've never loved

your stomach or your thighs, the dimples in you back at the bottom of your spine…" James narrowed his eyes to see that there were in fact

shallow dimples at the bottom of her spine. Was she singing about herself? "But I'll love them endlessly,"


	2. Deux

James silently cursed himself, cursed the broken branch under his foot, and cursed the noise it had made. The girl's song broke off abruptly

and her head snapped up, eyes searching the trees where he hid. "Be at ease," He called, stepping out into the open. "I've only just

happened across you here, and wondered at the song you sang. 'Twas not my intention to frighten you."

"Hi," Was the girl's only response, a smile in her eyes. No fear. _What a strange woman, and with skin so deep an olive it could only be from hours _

_in the sun._ James took another step forward without making the conscious decision to do so.

"I am Sir Logrerri," He finally offered into the uncomfortable silence. The girl smirked.

"Hello, Sir Logrerri. I am Lady Alicia Annette," The girl bowed with flourish, mocking him.

Contained anger reared inside James. "Lady Annette," He greeted with a nod, not falling to her bait.

"Anyways," Lady Annette smiled, digressing. "I think I should make my way back to the hotel, mum must be worried about me by now." She

made her way towards him, water sluicing around, over, and between her flushed legs. James looked away from them and into her mocking

eyes.

"Hotel?" The word was foreign to him, truly. The lady thought he jested though, it seemed, as her smile widened yet again.

"Yeah, it's rather big. Blue and all lit up for the festival this weekend, it is." Lady Annette moved her hands as she spoke, making vague shapes

in the air. "Where are my towel and my phone?" She asked, sharp eyes taking in the trees and underbrush behind James.

"'Tis only me here, and the men back at the camp."

Lady Annette pushed by him, making him stare, eyes wide, as she passed into the trees. No one dared touch a knight in active duty; surely

even this wild girl knew that? "Gosh dang it," She shocked him further by muttering curse words only the men used while drunk. "Could you

call it? I'll give you my number."

"M'lady, I've no idea what you're saying." James admitted with his hands up and out as if in surrender.

"What date is it?" The lady asked as she came back to him, tokens of incredulity in her expressive eyes.

"'Tis the 29th day of August, m'Lady, in the year of our Lord 1734." James supplied with a confused smile.


	3. Trois

"Clearly you jest," The Lady said and then seemed to remember herself. Suddenly, with her hands atop her mouth, she stepped away from

him.

"Are you unwell?" James followed after her, concerned. "Come, I'll bring you back with me and we will find your hotel, yes?" He offered his

hand.

The Lady gave him her damp hand and allowed him to lead her back the way he'd come. The knight kept stealing glances at the petite girl

beside him. After they'd been on the trail a couple minutes he noticed she was trembling. Quickly, and ignoring her curious eyes, James shed

his chest plate and chainmail shirt. He took his tunic off and held it out.

"It may not be a fine gown, m'Lady, but it shall keep you warmer than… than your clothing." James amended. The Lady Annette took the

garment from him and slipped it on, clasping the hooks down the front. When she had finished, the dark green trimmed bottom was almost to

her knees. The Lady was truly a small woman. Just clearing his elbow, her damp hair was level with the scar he had midway down from his

shoulder.

"Where are we going?" Lady Annette questioned, looking up into James's eyes. Hers were without emotion, it seemed. The knight was trained

to look for emotions though, and saw the fear cleverly masked in the Lady's bright green orbs.

"We are headed to camp, where my men await my return." James replied, stopping his dressing to gather her hair into his hands. "Lady, you

mustn't go into this camp of men with loose hair. You are already tempting to the eyes with just my tunic." He finished putting his armor on and

quirked his lips at this new challenge.

"I have a hair band," The lady offered and pulled her wet hair out of his hands. She whipped it forward, bending and dropping a foot back for

balance. James watched with wide, fascinated eyes. Lady Annette twisted and bunched her unwilling curly tresses into a wild looking mess

atop her head. She met his eyes as she regained her upright position. "'Tis as good as I can get it without a brush,"

James smiled and offered his arm to the strange lady. They continued their trek through the forest. Lady Annette placed her feet carefully,

tucking her toes under sharp branches so as not to cut them. When she began humming James angled his head to listen more closely.

"M'lady, you have a beautiful voice." The knight complimented, his polite smile widening into something more genuine.

"Thank you," She replied but ceased her humming. "We're almost there?" Her eyes were trained straight ahead as they moved onto a clear

path.

"We are,"

They moved in silence to the edge of a clearing packed to the brink with tents. Horses grazed lazily, tied to the trunks of surrounding trees. An abundance of

men were moving about the cramped camp, doing their morning duties. The knights closest to them stopped and turned to watch their approach, their eyes

fastened to the bare legs of the lady.

"Jas, where did you find her?" A knight leered, moving closer to flick the edge of the tunic she wore.

"Don't touch me." The lady Annette said haughtily, swaying towards James to get out of the other man's reach.

"You heard the lady, Nicolas." He smiled and led her around to his tent, ushering her inside. He followed her in, closing out the guffaws that followed her refusal

of Nicolas. "You may rest here, Lady Annette. I shall send a man to fetch you a gown and some slippers, yes?" James ducked back outside, whistling to get the

attention of his men.


	4. Quatre

~**Alicia**~

I stared after him for a couple seconds before I realized I was alone. I began unhooking the clasps in the front of his tunic and slid out of it.

The times were obviously before deodorant. Sir Logrerri stunk.

Awkwardly standing in some old-timey knight's tent? Not my ideal holiday activity. When I'd taken a holiday from Uni, a week in France, I had

thought of nothing but lovely French boys and sunshine. Now, instead, I had some French creeps and a boy with really pretty eyes who'd

snuck up on me playing in the waterfall.

A violent shiver got my teeth chattering and my arms aching for my hoody. I took a deep breath and loosened my hair to let it fall about my

shoulders again. My fingers went to work pulling and twisting the curls into some semblance of rule. I took the heavy, plaited rope and twisted

it into a tight bun at the nape of my neck. It began to fall out immediately and I sighed in defeat. Oh cursed time before bobby pins.

"M'lady," Sir Logrerri began as he ducked back in, he froze when he saw me. "There was a problem with my tunic?" He asked, letting his havoc

wreaking eyes stroll leisurely over my bikini-clad body. I tensed under his gaze.

"N-no, sir Logrerri. I am just more comfortable in my own clothes, rather than those of a stranger." I smiled demurely, dipping a bit into a

curtsy.

"Lady Annette, please don't bow to me." Sir Logrerri pleaded, eyes softening from a smolder.

"Sorry, I'm not cut out for this. I don't know your dynamics around here. Trust me, I have _no_ idea how much to know or say. I don't know how I

even got here. So I apologize for bowing to you, Sri Logrerri. It wasn't on purpose." I finished and by the look on his face I could tell he hadn't

understood half of what I'd said. "Je suis désolé," _I'm sorry._

"You speak a strange form of English, m'lady." Sir Logrerri moved farther into the tent, closer to me. He seemed to remember his first question

and my answer in a new light. "I have a clean undershirt," He offered with a small smile.

"Okay," I watched the man move around me to a trunk. He moved lithely, emanating youth and strength. My first thought had been that he

was at least 30. I shook my head, I was an idiot.

"M'lady, you can call me by my given name." Sir Logrerri held out a plumy white shirt towards me, dropping his eyes to the floor.

"Thank you. What is it?" I pulled the shirt over my head, relishing in the soft material and the scent of clean water.

"'Tis James, m'lady." James grinned up at me, sweeping his lashes up slowly.

I smiled back, happy to be on familiar ground. I definitely knew how to flirt and how to handle boys who flirted. "You can't call me by Alicia,

though, can you?"

"You wish me to?"

I nodded once, toying with a curly tendril that tickled at my collarbone.


	5. Cinq

~**James**~

_Strange, strange woman,_ James watched the lady's fingers play at her neck. Of course the girl didn't know what seeing her in his shirt did to his

heart. She was too beautiful to be roaming in just the shirt. He closed his eyes, grinding his teeth unconsciously.

"If you wish it, Alicia." Her name tasted sweet on his tongue, he smiled with it.

"Captain, Gabriel is riding in." Called Pascal from directly outside of the tent's flapping doors.

"Bring the gown in." James called back, keeping his eyes on the lady in front of him. She continued smiling sweetly at him, stirring things best

left alone. They both seemed to forget that Pax would be joining them in a moment.

They'd both forgotten until a moment later when, making them jump apart, Pax came in. "Sir, the gown?" The knight offered, eyes dancing

between his captain and the lady.

"Thank you, Pax. Tell Henri it's time to ride out. I need two geldings here for the lady and me before we set out." James took the gown and

necessities and handed them to Alicia.

"Thank you," The lady said softly and began sliding her undergarments over the strange clothes she was wearing. Her face was alight in

wonder as she put in her arms. James knew he should look away, it was only proper.

He was in no way in a proper mood. The lady Annette kicked her legs out, smiling to herself. She seemed amazed by the clothes and amazed

also that she was wearing them. "Would you like me to do the laces, m'lady?" James held his hands out, biting back vulgar thoughts when she

turned her back to him trustingly.

"I feel like a princess," The lady gushed excitedly in her staggered English.

"A princess, m'lady?" James tightened the laces, placing a careful hand at the small of her back to brace her for the pull. Lady Annette gasped,

straightening her back.

"Yes," She replied, her breathless voice made James close his eyes. He stepped away to pick up the gown. It was a beautiful ivory color with

dark maroon trim and train. It'd offset her dark skin breathtakingly.

They were both laughing as the lady tried to help in getting the heavy folds over her head. James finally won out over her awkward arms and

got the gown down. When everything settled the way it should, he moved behind her to lace up the gown.

"Beautiful," James breathed out, smiling.

Lady Annette turned in place to face him. He wasn't prepared for the proximity. James was in no way ready for the light dusting of freckles

across her nose and cheeks. Nor was he ready for the bright flecks of gold in her eyes. He wasn't prepared for the shallow dimple in her left

cheek or the darker freckle in the ends of both eyebrows. The perfect symmetry of her features took his breath away. The only flaw in the

perfection wasn't even a flaw, not really. That dimple only peeked out when her smile's intent was to lure… as it was now.

"Beautiful," He repeated, just mouthing the word. Alicia tilted her chin up, a question in her eyes. James intended to answer that question. He

placed his hands lightly on her shoulders and leaned down to cover her mouth with his.

"Captain-" Henri poked his head in and froze.

Lady Annette jerked back, looking anywhere but at him or Henri. She backed away a couple steps and James tried not to glare at his man.

"Yes, Henri?" He asked, eyes stopping Alicia where she was and holding her in place.

"We are ready to ride out, Sir." Henri knew how to school his expressions, but he'd never prepared himself for walking in on his captain kissing

a wild girl.


End file.
